From carbon emissions released during production to post-consumer waste piling up in landfills, we tend not to think about the environmental impact of orgasming via our favorite joy toys.
Since the FDA does not regulate sex toys, there is no industry standard for sustainability and companies are not obligated to report what they use in their products or how they make them.
Until recently, our beloved joy toys have been primarily made with plastics and other synthetic materials that are harmful to the planet. Toys made from plastic almost always contain phthalates, which are used to make them softer and more pliable (think dildos and butt plugs). Phthalates have been banned in beauty products for causing long-term damage to the environment but are still widely used in producing sex toys.
This lack of regulation, combined with complicated recycling protocols, makes sustainability in the adult toy industry uniquely difficult. The good news is that you don't need to give up your vibrator.
Start by looking for toys that are made from resource-conserving, natural material and are rechargeable. Additionally, be sure to take care of your current toys to make those puppies last as long as possible.
Glass Sex Toys
Glass toys are 100% recyclable and, according to reviews, provide a *very* pleasurable experience.
Small Heart Glass Butt Plug 3 Inch | Lovehoney $24.99
Tansy Beaded Glass Dildo | The Natural Love Company $49.95
Wood Sex Toys
While a wood dildo might conjure up Little House on the Prarie vibes, like their glass counterparts, the reviews speak for themselves.
NobEssence Hither Wooden Dildo | Luxe Vibes $140
Real Wooden Wood Simulation Dildo | Adora Dildos $49.99
Recycled and Biodegradable Sex Toys
From ocean-bound plastics to starch-based bioplastics, these toys go above and beyond to be good for the planet.
The Ohhcean Collection | Sinful
Gaia Eco Vibrator | Babeland $19.99
Womanizer Premium | Womaniser $199
Rechargeable Sex Toys
It's estimated that 3 billion batteries end up in landfills each year. Thankfully, battery-operated toys are less common these days.
Sona 2 | Lelo $109
Eva | $135
Bloomgasm Wild Rose Clitoral Suction Stimulator | Adam & Eve $69.95
Companies to Watch
These companies are killing it in the sustainability department and innovating with materials and processes to make sex toys that are good for the planet and feel oh, so good.
Natural Love plants a tree for each customer — and another for every review they recieve. The whole company is run on renewable energy, and its packaging is free of single-use plastics
Signature product: Saro $94.95
Love Not War carries a range of eco-friendly vibrator sex toys that are recyclable and made from recycled materials. They integrate sustainability into every part of their process, right down to using soy-based ink on their card packaging.
Signature product: Amore $91
Adele Brydges handcrafts stunning and luxurious adult toys and bodywear from porcelain (yes, their products are as gorgeous as you're imagining). They favor small batch and made-to-order production over mass manufacturing.
Signature product: The Thalo $193
Recycling Your Sex Toy
What to do when you are *ahem* done with your toy?
Whether you have moved on or your toy just stopped working, how exactly do you dispose of it? Sex toys are notoriously difficult to recycle, as most municipal recycling programs do not accept them in one piece. In the United States, there are currently no sex toy recycling programs.
However, you can take a deep breath and call your local recycling program and ask them directly how they recommend you dispose of it.
OR you can contact Come as You Are, an adult toy store in Toronto that offers sex toy recycling.
